AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Sorry for the delay, my keyboard broke and then my entire family got Covid so it was a disaster. Anyway, all is well, I'm on the mend, got a new keyboard, and voila, a new chapter. I will say that the "benefit" of Covid was that I got to re-read many of my most favorite fanfics and it inspired me a lot. So anyway, hope you enjoy!
Also — thank you to EVERYONE who has given amazing comments, I know I owe some of you replies, I promise I will. Your feedback is EVERYTHING to me and why I want to keep writing. Thank you for the love and support!
The week carried on with very little fanfare. Each night Marie would put Soren to bed and present herself in Lord Kent's study at 8pm for their nightly meeting. Some of these chats were rather short and to the point, but a few nights they lingered in casual conversation, but since Marie had been very motivated to stay on the straight and narrow, so far, he'd had no reason to scold or punish her again. As a result, she was growing to really enjoy this time with him and she looked forward to it each day, even if he never seemed to give away much more about himself.
On Friday morning, Soren came bounding down the stairs to breakfast with a giant smile and a new gap in the top of his mouth. "Look! I lost my front tooth!" He held out a small white tooth wrapped in a handkerchief, covered with blood.
"Wow, look at you! Come here, Soren, let me take a look." Marie called the boy over with a smile and a small clap of excitement, and he opened wide.
"It didn't even hurt, I just pushed it back and forth a little and then it came right out!"
"It's still bleeding a bit. Here, let me fix that." Marie pulled out her wand and cast a small spell to clot the blood. "After breakfast when you brush your teeth, just be very gentle so it doesn't start bleeding again."
"Look, father!" Soren said with glee, showing off the gap in his teeth with a wide grin while holding his recently liberated tooth proudly in front of him.
"Charming," Snape added, dryly. "I will have Tinny prepare you a glass of saltwater for you to swish around after breakfast." He refrained from mentioning the boy was a minute and a half late and pointed to his chair. "It's time for breakfast, now take a seat and kindly put—that—away," Snape indicated to the bloody handkerchief and tooth with disgust.
"Father, is the Tooth Fairy going to be able to find me here? How much do you think she'll give me? Maybe since it's my front tooth, it should be worth five galleons!" Soren spoke with enthusiasm as he walked toward his chair, tooth still in hand.
Snape raised an eyebrow. "As far as I remember, the going rate was a galleon, isn't that what you got for your last one? Still far too much if you ask me." He was trying not to roll his eyes at having to play along with this ruse, but he didn't have the heart to dash the boy's excitement completely.
"Yes, but that was my bottom tooth. This is my top tooth, it should be worth more."
"I don't know why on earth you're negotiating with me, you'll get whatever the Tooth Fairy deems is appropriate. Now put that away and let Ms. Cloutier spell your hands clean. Spare body parts don't belong at the dining table." Snape's face contorted slightly, as Soren turned back to Marie.
"Can you keep it for me, Ms. Cloutier, so I don't lose it?" Soren shoved the stained handkerchief and small tooth into her hand and she dutifully put it into her pocket before spelling both of their hands clean.
"Of course. And if you like I can help you write a note for the Tooth Fairy later this afternoon, so you can make your pitch. I say you go big, ask for ten galleons!" Marie gave him a small pat on the head and sent him back to his chair, glancing up at Lord Kent with a devilish smile.
Snape sipped his tea and did his best to keep his tone uninterested. "I'd be cautious if I were you Soren, if you misbehave or get too cheeky with the Tooth Fairy she has a good mind to leave you nothing. Now sit down and eat," came the dour reply.
Soren looked at his father with a small scowl. "That's not true, father. The Tooth Fairy doesn't care if you're naughty or not, she only cares about your teeth. It's just Father Christmas who you have to behave for," he said matter of factly. "Everyone knows that."
Snape raised an eyebrow at the tone of that response. He leaned in menacingly… "Let me remind you, little boy, that in this house, you are expected to behave all of the time. And if you don't, or you dare speak to me in such a rude manner again, I swear to Merlin I'll put up anti-fairy wards and instead of a visit from the Tooth Fairy, you'll get a veryunpleasant visit to my study. Now eat."
Soren's face fell dramatically and he let out a small whine. "Fatherrrr, that's not fair!"
With a snap of his fingers, Snape pointed to the boy's plate and gave him a stern look. "Quit whining and eat your food. I'll not tell you again."
When Soren looked like he might burst into tears, Marie chimed in. "You have absolutely nothing to worry about, Soren, your father is only teasing you." Marie shot Lord Kent an icy glare. "Besides, you've been a very good boy. I'm absolutely certain the Tooth Fairy has you on her list and she couldn't be more thrilled to come and get your tooth."
Snape huffed slightly but said nothing else, not wanting to antagonize the boy into a full meltdown.
They continued their breakfast in relative silence, until Snape finished his food and set down his silverware to make an announcement. "Soren, you'll be spending tomorrow with Mr. Potter and Teddy."
Soren looked up from his plate with an enormous, now partially toothless grin. He clapped his hands together. "I am? Are you coming too, Father?"
"No, Ms. Cloutier and I have some business to attend to here. We'll be busy all day. Mr. Potter will come and fetch you in the morning and bring you back before supper."
"Can I stay over? Pleaassse?" The boy bounced up and down on his chair with hands clasped and a pleading look.
"Settle down." Snape placed his cup down with a small clink. "If Mr. Potter invites you, we'll discuss it. Otherwise, you will not bring it up or ask him. You will not impose yourself any further."
Despite his father's reticent tone, Soren could barely contain his excitement. "That's going to be so much fun! Teddy has loads of toys, I hope I'll get to play with them!"
"It goes without saying that you are to be on your very best behavior. If I hear you've caused any trouble, particularly as a guest in someone else's home, you'll be an extremely sorry little boy." Snape gave him a menacing glare to emphasize his point.
"I won't, father!" Soren chugged down the rest of his milk in an effort to prove he was going to be the best boy ever.
"We'll revisit the rules again before you leave tomorrow. Now if you've finished, go upstairs and rinse your mouth with saltwater before you brush your teeth…Gently."
Soren pushed his chair back and practically skipped upstairs, excited about both his impending visit from the tooth fairy and his upcoming playdate with Teddy.
Once Soren was upstairs, Snape used this moment to address Marie. "I'll be leaving you to deal with the tooth situation. But he doesn't get more than a galleon. And for Merlin's sake, don't encourage his greed," he sneered. "Ten gallons, honestly. You must have lost your mind."
"Let him have his fun, Lord Kent. His joy is so innocent, it won't be like that forever. In a few years he'll be a surly teenager who is unimpressed by everything."
"Nonetheless, I refuse to spoil him."
Marie let out a small chuckle. "Spoil him? I don't think you're in any danger of that. But don't worry, I'll take care of it. Although I still think it would be a fun exercise for him to write a letter— it's a good opportunity to practice his writing and to learn some life skills about how to make a good business pitch."
"He's a seven year-old child, Ms. Cloutier, not a captain of industry."
"Not yet! But it's never too early to learn the art of negotiation!"
Snape stared at her with mild disapproval before he took another sip of tea and changed the subject. "By the way, all of your documents have arrived from the bank. I will review them tonight so I can make a plan. That way tomorrow you and I can go through them in detail. I expect it will be an arduous and unenjoyable task, so prepare yourself. As such, unless you have anything in particular you need to discuss with me this evening, I suggest we forgo our nightly meeting."
Marie felt her anxiety rise-up, she was definitely not looking forward to tomorrow. "Of course."
Snape finished his cup of tea and excused himself. "Have a good day, Ms. Cloutier."
"You too."
Later that evening, long after Soren had gone to bed, Marie snuck back into the little boy's room.
From under his pillow she pulled out the handwritten note he'd left, along with the small front tooth that was inside the envelope. In its place, she put a return envelope with a note and two galleons— one from the boy's father, and one of her own. She had planned to give him five, but she was sure that would put Lord Kent over the edge. As it was she knew she was taking a small risk, but she hoped it was minor enough that he wouldn't be too angry about it. She knew Soren would be thrilled, and tomorrow she would help him read the note that the Tooth Fairy left just for him.
She placed a small kiss on the little boy's head and tiptoed back out of his room.
As she gently closed his door, she saw the lamps still burning in corridor of the East wing, and she knew that meant Lord Kent was still up and working in his study. It was close to midnight, was he still working on her finances or was it something else? She was dying to know what he got up to all of those hours he spent in his study each night. Not just his study, but his potions lab as well. For a man who seemed exceedingly wealthy, he sure worked far more than she thought made sense for a man of such means. It made her wonder what he was really getting up to all the time, what kind of secret life he had.
Her curiosity got the better of her and instead of returning to her room, she snuck quietly down the hall, pausing when the floor of the main landing creaked loudly beneath her. "Shit," she whispered to herself, freezing and waiting a moment to ensure the house was still silent. Her heart was racing and she realized she had no idea what her plan was, and she'd be stupid to get caught snooping around. What are you thinking, Marie? Just go back to bed, it's none of your damn business anyway!
With a quick turn, she headed back toward her room, moving as quickly and silently as possible. She hadn't taken three steps before she heard the unmistakable sound of a door opening behind her. She paused and cringed, knowing there was no way she'd make it back to her door in time.
"Ms. Cloutier? Is there a reason you're out of bed at this hour?"
Dammit. Marie turned around to see the stern face of Lord Kent moving toward her.
"I was just taking care of Soren's tooth," she said softly, smiling despite the red creeping up her neck, practically announcing that she was up to no good.
Snape stood over her, far too close for comfort. And while Marie was in her pajamas, the man was still impeccably dressed in his wool suit, somehow making him seem far more intimidating in the dim light of the hallway.
"Something you should have taken care of long before now. Not to mention, Soren's bedroom is directly across from yours. Why would you be all the way out here?" He glared down his nose at her, pressing his lips together in clear disapproval.
"Oh, well—" she hesitated as she tried to come up with an excuse.
Before she could continue, Snape grasped her around her upper arm, pulling her closer as he leaned down toward her face. "Lie to me now and I will take you directly to my study where I will paddle your backside with my ruler until sitting is nothing but a fond memory."
Marie's ears burned bright red as the flush spread over her face. "I didn't really have a plan. I saw the lights on and I was just curious to see if you were still awake and working in your study. But I changed my mind. I was headed back to bed, I swear."
"What time are you meant to go to sleep, Ms. Cloutier?" He asked patronizingly, his grip still firmly around her arm as he stood to his full height.
"11 o'clock, sir," she whispered.
"And what time is it now?"
Just as he spoke, the low chimes from the ancient grandfather clock downstairs began to ring out softly from below. "I'm guessing it's midnight now."
"Indeed it is." He took a deep breath and released her upper arm only to wrap his large hand around her left wrist, pulling her gently in the direction of her bedroom. "Come along, Ms. Cloutier, let's put you back to bed. And since you seem to have such difficulty finding it, I will gladly assist you."
His tone wasn't the least bit angry, but somehow the way he was speaking to her made her feel like a silly, stupid child as he walked her briskly back to her room, Marie trailing slightly behind him as she attempted to keep up with his long, authoritative strides.
When they reached the door, Marie expected him to let her go with a half-hearted scold or—optimistically—perhaps just a simple "goodnight, sleep well." Instead he kept hold of her wrist, opened the door, and walked her all the way to the bed.
"I think I can manage from here, thanks," she said as she tried to extricate herself from his grip. "Goodnight, then."
"I don't think so, Ms. Cloutier." Without letting go of her, he sat down on the side of her bed and pulled her effortlessly over his lap, positioning her upper body to rest on the mattress while her legs dangled off his right side. "Naughty girls who sneak around past their curfew get soundly spanked and put back to bed with a very sore bottom."
Before Marie could register her shock and horror, her pajama bottoms had been deftly pulled down to her knees and his hand was crashing into her bare skin. "Ow!" she yelped, out of surprise more than pain, although the sting of his hand on her unclothed backside was far more than she was prepared for. She tried not to cry out, but it only took a few hard smacks before tears were welling in her eyes and a dozen more before she was quietly begging him to stop. Nonetheless, he was wholly unaffected, and continued his hearty pace without saying a word.
He spanked her for a good solid minute or more, watching as her milky white skin changed from a rosy blush to a dark pink, and finally to a proper cherry red. To finish it off, he gave her ten brutally hard smacks on her sit spots, driving her to cry out and collapse fully into her pillows.
When he was satisfied he'd done a suitable job, and he knew she was crying real tears of resignation, he pulled up her pajama bottoms and lifted her back on her feet before standing and smoothing his hands down his frock coat. After straightening her sheets and fluffing her pillows, he peeled down the corner of the duvet. "Now then, straight into bed with you. It's late, and we've had quite enough nonsense for the night, is that clear?"
"Yes, sir. I'm sorry." Part of her was still in shock, but overwhelmingly her focus was now on the fire blazing on her backside and her utter horror that he had actually smacked her bare bum.
When she didn't move, Snape stared down at her and directed her by the shoulders. "Get in, Ms. Cloutier."
Knowing she couldn't tolerate a single more smack, Marie obeyed immediately and climbed into bed, her sheets feeling cool against her heated skin.
As he tucked the duvet around her, he glared down at her and continued in his calm, patronizing tone. "Be a good girl and stay in bed. If I have to repeat this lesson anytime in the near future, rest assured I'll use a slipper and you'll get a proper hiding. Now lay down."
Marie felt like her backside was going to spontaneously combust, was he really trying to pretend that was somehow less than a proper punishment? Her arse hurt like the dickens, although she would freely admit it wasn't nearly as bad as being smacked with that god-forsaken ruler, even if his hand hurt significantly more on her bare bottom.
"Yes, sir," she said, still in shock, but now feeling embarrassed that he'd taken her over his knee like a naughty kindergartener. She was glad the room was fairly dark and he couldn't see just how red her face was.
"Goodnight, Ms. Cloutier. Get to sleep, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow." He swept his wand to extinguish the last of the lights as he headed for her door.
"Goodnight."
When Marie heard the door close, she rolled over onto her stomach, her arse radiating heat and throbbing with its own heartbeat. She gave it a good rub, and soon the worst of the sting began to die down. It had been less than a week since he'd punished her, and yet somehow she'd already forgotten just how much it bloody hurt. She sniffled quietly to herself but soon drifted off to sleep, the long week and the late night having taken its toll on her.
The next morning Marie woke-up and cringed as memories from the prior evening came flooding back to her. How could you have been so stupid! She still couldn't believe that Lord Kent had done that. No big fuss, no big lectures, he didn't even seem that mad— although he certainly had made it very clear that he wasn't going to let her get by with breaking even the smallest rules.
But it was the way he'd made her feel like an errant child that was particularly humiliating; not only had he turned her over his knee, he'd taken her pajamas down and smacked her bare bum. It was horrifying! Her face burned with embarrassment when she thought about it, and yet her body clenched in a way that made her question her own sanity. You've really got a screw loose, Marie. What the hell! That was not the least bit sexy.
Part of her wanted the floor to swallow her whole—she didn't think she could possibly face him this morning, or for the rest of the day for that matter. But another part of her was even more addicted to the thought of being near him, desperately wanting him to hold her, and touch her…kiss her. This is so messed up! Get your shit together, Marie!
She replayed the whole thing a good dozen times before she finally dragged herself out of her room, knowing there was no way around it, she'd have to face him eventually, and she'd just try to save her dignity pretending like everything was normal.
The last time he'd spanked her, she'd felt truly repentant, and even though it hurt, she'd felt so much better after being punished because she really had screwed up and she was desperate for forgiveness and a clean slate.
Last night, though? I mean, she couldn't feel that much guilt for being out of her room at barely midnight, it wasn't like she'd done anything truly harmful or dishonest. Even though she knew she'd probably be in trouble if she got caught, she hadn't thought it would be a big deal. And in some ways it hadn't been. It was an entirely different experience being punished in that way. There had been something so…matter of fact about it. She'd broken a rule (small and dumb as it may be), he'd spanked her, and that was it. Not to mention he'd tucked her in afterward which she might have thoroughly enjoyed if it weren't for the fact her backside was on fire. Her feelings were confusing her. She felt like she should be angry or indignant, but instead she felt…cared for? Safe? You're on the crazy train, Marie. Next stop, Raving Lunatic City. Final destination, St. Mungo's Ward for the Incurably Insane.
Once she had on her clothes and was pleased enough with her hair, she went to wake Soren. But as soon as she opened the door, the little boy ran toward her, obviously already awake and teaming with energy.
"She came, Ms. Cloutier! She came!" He was jumping up and down, the envelope in his hand. "The Tooth Fairy left me a note and everything! And she gave me two whole galleons!"
Marie wasn't sure she'd ever seen Soren this happy, but she was glad. It was all worth it. Even if she got in trouble for that extra galleon, although she hoped not. Her bum was pretty much back to normal this morning, but the memory of just how painful and embarrassing it could be was still very fresh.
"That's amazing! I told you she wouldn't miss you." Marie tousled his hair. "Now come on, let's get you dressed so we're not late for breakfast. You've got a fun day ahead!"
Soren babbled excitedly as she helped him get into his play clothes and trainers and they headed into the parlor hand-in-hand.
When they descended from the stairs, Snape looked up casually from his paper. "Good morning."
Soren let go of Marie's hand and sprinted toward his father's armchair, his galleons and note in hand. "Look father! The Tooth Fairy gave me two galleons and she wrote me a letter!"
Snape's eyes narrowed considerably as they traveled up to Marie. He was extremely unimpressed with that bit of news. But he schooled his face and looked back at Soren. "And what did the Tooth Fairy say? I'm curious how she justified paying you double the value for your tooth, or perhaps there's been exorbitant rates of inflation in the tooth market lately that I'm unaware of."
"Will you read it to me father? Please!" Soren held the small folded letter out for him. If he'd been sitting on the couch, he would have sidled up next to the man, but he wasn't bold enough to climb onto his lap, even if he wished he could.
Snape's first inclination was to tell Soren that they were going to be late to the table and he was perfectly capable of reading it on his own after breakfast, but a kinder part of him didn't want to do anything to mitigate the boy's obvious joy. You're becoming soft. Indulgent. What a pathetic old fool.
"Very well. Give me the note."
Soren excitedly thrust the note into his hand and leaned on the arm of his chair, the smile on his face seeming to extend beyond his ears. He looked at his father with great anticipation, his eyes wide with glee.
When Snape unfolded the letter, a cloud of rainbow glitter flew up into the air and twinkled for several seconds before falling to the ground like snow and vanishing the moment they hit the rug. Impressive.
"Oooh! Father did you see! It must be fairy dust!"
It took every ounce of self-control Snape had not to allow himself the small smile that was threatening to burst forth on his face, both at the adorable and impressive charm, and Soren's pure thrill at seeing the thoughtful bit of magic. Very well done, Ms. Cloutier. Very clever indeed.
He cleared his throat and brought the piece of parchment close to his face. "It reads:
Dear Soren,
Congratulations on the loss of one of your front tooth!
After reading your letter, and inspecting your tooth,
I have to agree that you have taken very good
care of it, it is clear you are brushing twice a day. This
— coupled with your hard work at school and your
sterling behavior has convinced me that you have earned
two galleons! Keep up the great work, and don't forget to
floss! I'll be back for that other front tooth very soon!
Love,
The Tooth Fairy"
Snape folded the letter up and handed it back to Soren. "Your letter must have been very convincing indeed. Although the use of the word sterling seems a bit exaggerated."
Once again he cast an unimpressed look at Marie who was beaming back at him, a mischievous glint in her eye that he found utterly charming even if he refused to acknowledge it.
"I wonder how she knows that I'm working hard at school? I didn't put that in my letter," Soren said. "But I did say that I'm trying really hard to be good. I haven't been in trouble all week, right father?"
"A miracle for the ages, surely," Snape drawled. "But now you are aware that the Tooth Fairy is far more omniscient than you realize, so perhaps you won't be so hasty in future to assume she has no interest in how you behave." He glared down at Soren as a reminder.
"You're right, father. I'm going to be extra good. Then maybe I can get three galleons for my next tooth! Or maybe five!"
Marie had to control an audible chuckle, which only made Snape send her an extra dramatic scowl with an accompanying raise of his eyebrow. "Perhaps I ought to have a strong word with the Tooth Fairy. If she's not careful, she's going to bankrupt her entire operation with these prices."
"Can you take me to the store, father, so I can spend my tooth fairy money?"
"Perhaps when you've saved more than two galleons, I'll consider it. For now, you should focus on saving rather than spending. It's a far more wise way to handle your money, isn't that right, Ms. Cloutier?" He gave her a pointed look which caused her cheeks to blush slightly. "Now let's have breakfast, we're already running behind schedule. Mr. Potter will be here in less than an hour."
After breakfast, Snape spent a good 15 minutes detailing the rules to Soren, interspersed with elaborate threats about what would happen to him if he should find himself in trouble while visiting others.
Finally, the floo roared and Harry stepped out. "Good morning, everyone! Are you ready to go, Soren? We've got a fun day planned!"
Soren couldn't wait, and went right for the floo as soon as Harry appeared, grabbing the man's hand and not bothering to look back as he shouted over his shoulder. "Yep! Bye!"
Snape pulled back on his shirt and growled in a low tone. "Care to try that again?"
"I mean, yes, sir. I'm ready!" Soren just wanted to get out of there as soon as possible, he'd been waiting for what seemed like ages to leave the manor and have an adventure and he was more than ready to escape the heavy-handed lecture he'd been forced to listen to for the last several minutes.
"Allow Mr. Potter a moment to breathe and recover from his travel. And perhaps it would be polite to offer him some water or tea before you go barging into the floo like a wild hippogriff."
"Sorry." Soren looked up at Harry. "Do you want some tea, Mr. Potter? Or water?" Not wanting to get scolded any further, Soren spoke in his most innocent and sweet voice although he prayed the man would decline so they could get a move on.
Harry smiled. "I'm good, thanks kiddo."
"Soren has been told in no uncertain terms that he is to be on his very best behavior. If he does anything stupid or dangerous, or acts out in any way that I wouldn't approve of, feel free to send him home immediately and I will deal with him accordingly." Snape stared down at Soren with a look of warning.
"Oh, I'm not worried at all. He's a great kid, we'll have fun today with Teddy." Harry gave Soren a wink and a smile and put his hand on the boy's shoulder.
"I mean it, Soren. You will mind Mr. Potter at all times. You will be polite, and you will respect the rules of his house. If I find out you've misbehaved in any way, you will be punished severely."
"I promise I'll be good, father."
"That would be very wise." Snape then redirected his attention to Harry. "And while I know you have a habit of putting yourself and others into absurdly risky and dangerous situations, I would appreciate it if you brought my son back in one piece. Hopefully that's not beyond your meager capabilities, Mr. Potter."
Harry smiled. "Please don't worry, I'll take good care of him. So far I've only gotten Teddy nearly killed on two occasions. Possibly three."
Snape's face went into a deep scowl. "You'd better be joking, Mr. Potter. Given your egregious track record, I hardly find that funny."
"I promise you, I'll look after Soren like my life depends on it."
"Oh, believe me, Mr. Potter. It does."
"Point taken, sir."
Soren watched the exchange with curiosity, and a bit of extra pride as he realized his father cared enough about him to insist he be kept safe. "Can we go now? Please, father!"
"May you, and yes, you may. As long as my expectations are clear…for both of you." Snape gave Harry a particularly pointed look before turning his attention back to Soren.
"Crystal clear, sir." Harry said, putting his arm around the boy.
"Yes, father. We'll be really good, I promise."
Snape let out a small huff. "I gave up on that particular expectation for Mr. Potter years ago. I'm merely requesting that he brings you home alive and unharmed."
Harry reached for the floo powder on the mantle. "May I?"
With a curt nod, Snape gave his permission and Harry reached into the bowl.
"Goodbye, father! Goodbye, Ms. Cloutier! I'll see you later!" Soren waved happily as he held Harry's hand, his face full of pure elation as he readied himself to leave.
"Have fun, Soren! We'll see you soon!" Marie blew him a kiss and gave a quick wave.
Harry threw down the floo powder and shouted into the green flame. "Ginny Weasley-Potter's Parlor! 1-9-9-1"
When the two were gone, Snape turned to Marie. "Do you need a few minutes, or shall we get started?"
There was nothing in the world Marie wanted to do less than discuss the horrifying state of her finances, but she knew she had to rip the bandaid off. "I'm ready whenever you are."
"Very well, then let's relocate to my study."
Even though she wasn't in trouble, per se, Marie was filled with dread as she traipsed up the stairs behind Lord Kent. When they reached his study door he pulled out his wand and opened it with a flick of his wrist, pausing outside of it. "After you."
Having never been in the study during the earlier part of the day, Marie was impressed at the beautiful, bright view he had of the gardens. The sunlight illuminated the room and she suddenly realized why he liked it so much—it was a warm space that somehow felt more full of life than anywhere else in the manor. She took a seat in one of the chairs in front of his desk, and as usual, he made his way behind it.
When they were both settled in their respective seats, Snape finally spoke. "I must say, Ms. Cloutier, while you weren't dishonest with me about your situation, it is far more dire than I imagined it to be. The financial situation you've found yourself in is beyond disgraceful."
Snape pulled out a stack of parchment and dropped it on the desk in front of him. "Your slate was wiped clean as far as I was concerned last week, except I found a slight discrepancy that I feel needs to be…sorted out before we continue."
Marie's cheeks started burning. Was this about the extra galleon she gave Soren? Surely not. She could see he was displeased but it felt out of proportion to what she'd done.
"The first weekend you were here, you went out on your day off. When you returned I asked you how much you'd spent so I could reimburse you, do you recall that conversation?"
"Yes, sir."
"And how much did you tell me you spent?"
Oh shit! "I don't remember, sir."
Snape leaned forward over his desk, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Let us not make things worse by lying, Ms. Cloutier."
"I really don't remember, sir, I swear. That was weeks ago. A few hundred galleons, I guess?"
"You told me you spent 150 galleons. So that was the amount I deposited along with your salary and your bonus. But when I reviewed your accounts, do you know how much you actually spent that day?"
Marie couldn't remember, but she knew it was far more than whatever she'd told him. "No, sir. I don't remember."
"Allow me to refresh your memory." He pulled out a parchment with her account records on it. "When I added up your purchases from that day, it was closer to 350 galleons, Ms. Cloutier. That's quite a discrepancy, wouldn't you say?"
"Yes…yes, sir," she whispered.
"Ten or twenty galleons, I might have overlooked. But 200 galleons? Surely your math skills aren't that regrettable. Or perhaps you were suffering from short-term memory loss? A few too many glasses of Prosecco?"
Her face continued to burn with shame. "No, sir."
"If you tell me it was an innocent mistake, I will believe you and we will move on. If, however, you lied to me knowingly, then you will graciously admit it and take your punishment before we move forward. Which is it, Ms. Cloutier?"
Now Marie felt like crying. She had definitely lied, but she'd forgotten all about it and it felt so supremely unfair to bring it up now when she should have had a clean slate. Tears of frustration began to well in her eyes. "I'm sorry I lied, Lord Kent."
While disappointed, he had figured that was likely the case. Without another word, he opened his desk drawer and took out his ruler. "I believe you're familiar with the penalty for lying. You may place yourself over the desk."
Tears poured down Marie's face. "Please, sir, I know I lied, but I forgot all about it. Truly. I wasn't trying to hide it from you, I just forgot all about it. It all happened so long ago, please."
"It's unfortunate, Ms. Cloutier, but I told you quite clearly that you had one opportunity to come clean about everything. And if you didn't, and I found out about it later, you'd be punished. Now that's enough. Over the desk. We have a lot to do today and I'd prefer not to drag this out."
Marie sat for another few seconds before she realized there was no way out, and she stood up slowly and walked to the large wooden desk.
Snape picked up the ruler and walked around to the front of the desk, giving her a moment to soak it all in.
Finally, after his patience started to wear thin and she hadn't made a move, he spoke. "Bend over, Ms. Cloutier, I can assure you that any attempts to delay this further will not be well received."
The last time she'd been punished in the study, she'd bent over the chesterfield, and she was a little unsure of how to settle herself comfortably over the desk. It felt colder, somehow. Distant. Far more clinical than her punishment last night, which had felt more comforting and secure when he'd held her close to his body.
"It's not a complicated request. Bend. Over. Arms out in front. Cheek flat on the desk," he articulated, as he guided her down with a firm hand on her back.
The smooth, polished wood of the desk felt cold against the skin of her hands and face as she stared at the chesterfield on her left, tears running down her cheek and pooling on the desktop.
"Tell me why you're being punished," he said calmly, but firmly, one hand still on her back providing the mildest of reassurance.
"I lied about how much money I spent."
"Yes, you did. A blatant lie that served absolutely no purpose. I told you I would reimburse you any amount, there was no need whatsoever to be dishonest about it. As you know, lies are completely unacceptable and will always be punished harshly. Now brace yourself. Do not get up, do not reach back."
Marie squeezed her eyes shut as she waited for the first blow of that dreaded ruler. Just when she wondered if he was ever going to start, she felt it slam hard into her right butt cheek. Fuck that hurts!
Snape was rightfully annoyed to discover this lie, but he also knew it had most likely been accidentally overlooked. Still, he felt it was important to follow through. And although he planned for this to be a very solid reminder about how he dealt with lies, he had no intention of being overly harsh with her. In fact he had debated with himself for hours about whether he should even acknowledge it, his mind only being made up when he caught her out of bed over an hour past curfew.
He gave her a good two dozen solid smacks. He knew they hurt, but they were not at all what he considered excessive or severe, certainly not over clothes. When he stopped, she was sobbing quietly into her arms.
"It's over, Ms. Cloutier. Take a moment to compose yourself and then you can return to your seat so we can get started."
Marie was properly distraught, but only because she hadn't been expecting it, and she was angry with herself and slightly bitter with him for a punishment that should have been avoided. This time she didn't feel particularly cleansed or cared for, just frustrated and disappointed.
Snape could see that she was upset, and he didn't feel any satisfaction at doling out this particular punishment, but he was determined to be consistent and to keep to his word. He put a reassuring hand on Marie's shoulder before helping her stand. The dejected look in her eyes making his heart ping with instant regret—she looked almost broken, which had not been at all his intention. It set off alarm bells inside of him and he instantly started to question himself.
For a moment he searched for the right words. "I can see you're frustrated and disappointed, and I understand. But it's over now, and we will move on. I am not angry, and I believe that the person you are today is not the same as the one who lied to me several weeks ago. Just know I am proud of you for being honest with me today. You took accountability for a past mistake and I have nothing but respect for that."
Marie still felt hurt, but she nodded, his words soothing her slightly.
"Here. Dry your tears, take a few breaths and then we'll get started." He gave her a handkerchief and an affectionate rub of her arm. It felt nice, but she was desperate for more. She wanted to be hugged and held, comforted properly…but she knew that was asking far too much.
If she were truly honest with herself, it had been a pretty half-hearted punishment. Oh, she could feel it, but it lacked some of the enthusiasm that he'd put into her prior two spankings. And although her bum was throbbing, and she'd no doubt be feeling it for the next few hours, it hadn't been cruel. Although she hated that ruler— and she would definitely make it a point not to find herself in a situation where she had to feel that again—she had absolutely no plans to lie to him again. She'd turned over a new leaf.
Snape had had every intention to get right down to business, but he was faltering now, and instead of resuming their agenda, he called for Tinny to bring them tea.
"Let's take a few moments and have a cup of tea before we get started. I always find unpleasant tasks to be slightly more tolerable after a nice cup of Darjeeling. Shall we sit on the couch?"
Marie was grateful, if for no other reason than the soft, cool cushions of the chesterfield would be far kinder to her freshly punished backside than the hard wooden chair in front of his desk.
Once Tinny returned with the tea service, Snape poured them each a cup and handed one to Marie before taking a seat next to her on the sofa.
The gesture had gone a long way to make Marie feel better. While not overtly affectionate, she had no doubt that he'd veered off course for her benefit, and it showed a certain kindness that helped thaw things from her side.
After a minute, Marie turned to him. "Thank you."
He lifted an eyebrow. "For what, exactly?"
"For the tea. And sympathy," she smiled to herself, hoping he picked up on the reference. "Although I could have done without a second beating in less than 24 hours."
Snape managed an impressive scoff. "That's a rather dramatic way to describe two rather mild spankings, Ms. Cloutier. Both of which were quite well-earned in my opinion."
"I hate that blasted ruler. That thing is vicious."
"Well, then I hope you'll do your best to avoid it. That rather is the point."
They sat for another minute before Marie turned to him to continue. "I'm trying my best, really. I think that's why it felt so frustrating today, because I've made a real effort to follow the rules and be completely honest with you. It felt awful to be punished for something Past Marie did when Present Marie has been doing so well."
"I agree, although let's not forget your little lapse in judgment last night. What on earth was that about?"
Marie's face flushed slightly. "Yeah, that was stupid. I meant to go to bed on time, but I was working on that stupid charm for far longer than I wanted to, trying to get it just right. It took me almost 4 hours to get it to work, and then I went to Soren's room to give him the note and the money. But after that- I don't know what I was thinking, I just got curious for a minute wondering what you were up to… but I really was heading back to my room when you found me. Don't worry, I won't make that mistake again."
Snape shook his head. "I should hope not."
Marie wasn't sure what compelled her, but she spoke before she could overthink it. "I didn't like going over the desk like that. It made me feel…somehow much worse. More alone. Isolated. "
"Different situations call for different things, Ms. Cloutier. It was a punishment, it wasn't meant to be comfortable. And practically speaking it's a much easier position when administering the ruler."
"Oh."
"I explained to you when we started this that there may be times where you feel frustrated, or it feels unfair, but it should never make you feel abused. Do you feel you were wrongfully punished, Ms. Cloutier? That I took advantage of my authority in any way? If so, you need to tell me."
Marie shook her head. "No, I didn't like how it made me feel, but I understood why you did it. It was just…a different kind of feeling. And it made me feel worse instead of better."
Snape waited a moment to respond, not wanting to interrupt her.
"It's just the first time you punished me, I really felt like I deserved it, and I was craving forgiveness and a clean slate, and even though it really hurt, I felt better after. Like, freer somehow…like everything was forgiven and I could move on without any negative feelings."
"I see."
"And last night, it was stupid, but I knew when you caught me I was breaking a rule and I kind of expected you would reprimand me in some way, although I wasn't expecting you to do that. But I didn't feel angry about it. And yeah, it hurt, but I knew you weren't angry with me and it felt just. Embarrassing— but not undeserved, I guess. And after it was over it made me feel taken care of, somehow…like you were doing it for my own good…and you were holding me, so even if it was painful at the time, I felt comforted…secure."
Snape was surprised at her honesty, trying to process everything she had to say but at a complete loss of how to reply. He took another sip of his tea as he replayed her words attempting to come up with a proper and worthy response.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have said anything, that was dumb. Just ignore me," Marie finally said, feeling far more vulnerable than she'd wanted to.
"No, I will not. I apologize, Ms. Cloutier, I'm just trying to make sure I respond carefully. Your feelings are completely valid…I just need a moment to formulate a proper response."
Marie felt humiliated, she hadn't known what made her say those things, but she was regretting it completely. She feared this would do nothing but push him further away, make him think she was a freak. You are so stupid, why would you say all of that!
But finally Snape spoke. "Can you tell me, Ms. Cloutier— what is it you wish to get out of this…arrangement? Perhaps that would help me better to support your needs."
"I don't know!" Marie cried, frustrated. "I just don't want to feel empty and lonely like I did just now. I want to feel taken care of, looked after, valued…and I know that's not your job, I just want to feel like someone gives a shit about me and wants to help me, support me. I don't want to feel more alone...more isolated. Unworthy."
She collapsed into herself and Snape realized he'd made a grave mistake. He set his teacup down and shifted to her, putting his arm around her, pulling her into him. "You're not alone, Ms. Cloutier. I can assure you, I want to help." He paused for another few seconds. "I care deeply for you and your well-being, I would never purposely cause you to feel the way you've just described."
Marie sobbed into him, and for the first time in his life Snape abandoned all of his rational thoughts and reacted with his emotion. He gathered her up in his arms and he cradled her on his lap, kissing her forehead and wiping her tears. "Please, don't cry. I beg you."
Several minutes passed in which Marie just continued to sob, but all the while absorbing each second of affection, his warm body pressed against hers, his lips on her forehead, his hands on her face, his breath in her hair as he held her and she felt the solid reassurance of his body underneath her. She was desperate for it. "Please…hold me."
Snape wasn't sure what else to do, but he pressed her into his chest and swept her hair from her face before burying her in the crook of his neck. He squeezed her tightly and finally found the words to whisper in her ear "You have nothing to worry about. I'm here, I've got you. Everything is going to be alright."
At those words, Marie collapsed further, her body going limp as she pressed her face into his shoulder, the floodgates that had been holding every last ounce of her emotion dissolving and flowing freely into her sobs. She grasped him tightly, praying he wouldn't let her go.
For several minutes, Snape held her as her tears started to slow and her sobs were replaced by small exhales of breath and an occasional whine. He pressed her into him and patted her gently, shushing her and giving her soothing words of comfort.
They sat in silence for several moments, with only an occasional hitch of Marie's breath before she finally whispered, her face still pressed deep in his chest. "I'm sorry."
Snape sat up and put his hand beneath her chin, drawing her tear-streaked and swollen face back into the fresh air and light. "Absolutely not. You do not ever apologize for your feelings, do you understand?"
"No," Marie said, a fresh batch of tears bursting forth. "No one wants to deal with this, I shouldn't have said anything. I'm sorry."
"I swear to Merlin I am this close to throwing you back over my knee for being so stubborn and self-indulgent, and not listening when I tell you that you've got nothing to be sorry for. You are allowed to have feelings. In fact, I am quite proud of you for expressing them so courageously."
Marie pressed her cheek back into him, unable to make eye-contact. "Can you just hold me for a bit longer."
"Yes." It went against every instinct he usually had, but right now, all he wanted to do was comfort her. "As long as you need."
Snape readjusted himself on the couch, but kept Marie clutched to him. He sat there, valiantly, pressing her to his chest as he mulled over her words and feelings, patting her rhythmically. After twenty minutes he glanced down and saw that she had fallen asleep, and he continued to hold her for another few minutes before he slowly laid her out on the couch, conjuring a blanket and covering her before returning to his desk, deep in contemplation, all of his plans for the day somehow no longer relevant. What have you gotten yourself into?
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
OMG- this chapter went comepletely off the rails— it was NOT what I intended when I sat down with my outline to write it, but the characters had a lot to say and here we are. Marie needed more, I guess. And maybe Snape is starting to turn a corner to give it to her. PLEASE tell me your thoughts! I'm dying to know!
I live for your comments and now that I'm not dead and have a functioning keyboard again, I'll get back to you right away!